


Demolition Lovers

by lysanderwarrior



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Awkwardness, Denial of Feelings, F/M, Jeronica, Teasing, Vughead, lowkey cheating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-16 04:00:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17542274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lysanderwarrior/pseuds/lysanderwarrior
Summary: Based on the Tumblr prompt "I just wanted to let you know that I think you're beautiful."Events take place a few weeks after 3x10.





	Demolition Lovers

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from a mcr song uwu
> 
> Enjoy :)

 

 

Veronica Lodge didn't need a man. She was completely able to get things done by herself. But that didn't mean that she didn't _want_ a man. Or not necessarily a man, just someone to listen to her problems and keep her company. She thought that she had found that someone in Archie Andrews, even Reggie Mantle at one point. But no, they had both let her down or the other way around. Now she was alone.

If she had learned something during the experiments with those two boys, it was that you shouldn't get close to your ex-boyfriend's friend, because you'll end up losing them both. Though, she had learned it,,, it didn't mean that she would remember it.

 

 

 

 

Veronica had just wrapped up her singing on a cold Friday night at La Bonne Nuit by giving the crowd a delicate curtsey. She received applauds from the crowd, as well as from the bar, where her new bartender's substitute was working it.

That certain raven-haired substitute walked to the edge of the stage, taking her silk glove covered hand and helping her down. Her dark violet dress sparkled briefly as she stepped out from the spotlight.

If there's one thing Veronica never thought she would see, it was Jughead Jones working at the bar and actually being _polite_ towards her. He was covering for Sweet Pea, who had taken over Reggie after he quit, because he couldn't handle seeing the raven-haired princess on a daily basis. On that day Sweet Pea and Josie had taken a break to have a little _'lovers' vacay',_  so Veronica had to perform at the speakasy. She wasn't sure if she wanted Jughead to be so kind towards her suddenly after them fighting for their whole second year in high school, but she didn't complain, it was still nice.

"Did you like my performance, _Forsythe?"_ she asked once they had gotten to the bar — him taking a place behind it and her sitting on one of the stools — with a playful smile on her face.

"It was... okay," Jughead tilted his head a little, pouring the girl in front of her a mocktail. "You lost points for using that name, though."

Veronica chuckled, shaking her head in amusement.

"Are you sure that Betty's fine with you working here tonight? I didn't force you to come." Jughead handed Veronica the drink, their fingers softly brushing against one another as she took a hold of it and moved the glass to her lips.

"She has some... things regarding the farm? She didn't really tell me," he shrugged, his eyes briefly getting lost at her lips as she took a small sip from the mocktail.

"Well I'm glad you came, in any case. I would've been in trouble without you," Veronica gave him a thankful nod, but suddenly stopped and narrowed her eyes. "What did I tell you at the start of the night? No beanies allowed indoors!"

Before Jughead realised what was happening, Veronica was half-standing and leaning over the bar counter, reaching her hand over his head and closing her fist around his crown-shaped beanie.

"Hey, give that back," he sighed, trying to take the hat back from her, but she stood up from the stool and took a few steps backwards from the bar.

"Rules are rules, Forsythe," Veronica gave him an innocent smile before stuffing the beanie in the glass jar on the counter, labelled 'tips', then sliding the jar to the other end of the bar.

"This can be considered bullying, Veronica," Jughead said coldly, but he was actually amused too.

"What are you going to do, Jones? Is the Serpent king going to rat on me to principal Weatherbee?" she smirked, placing her hands on the bar counter and leaning forward. She was clearly trying to annoy him on purpose and for once, Jughead didn't mind.

"No... I'm going to settle on confiscating your drink," he took the mocktail from the counter and downed it all in one try. Then he continued to grin at her, rather smugly. "You can get it back once we close."

Veronica blinked, clearly not believing his confidence. She straightened her posture, crossing her arms over her chest, covering the rather low-cut neckline.

"Just because you look rather _cute_ in your little suspenders, Forsythe, doesn't mean that you have the right to take the owner's drink away," she narrowed her eyes, staring right at him.

Jughead smirked, digging his thumb under one of the black suspenders that went over his grey button up shirt, tugging it a little so it snapped back against the fabric.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You're no fun to play with," Veronica sighed, giving up and leaning on her elbows against the bar. She could literally hear Jughead swallow hard so she looked up at him, just for him to avoid her gaze.

"Hm," Jughead cleared his throat. He had caught himself staring at the raven-haired beauty on multiple occasions that night, and he hated himself for it. He had a girlfriend and besides, it's Veronica. He couldn't possibly find her attractive- okay, he _did._ And he needed to say something now to make things less awkward. "Perhaps Archie would be more fun to play with? Or Reggie?"

That's the moment when Jughead mentally slapped his own face. He was being unfair again, but he couldn't help it.

"Yeah,,," her voice turned cold as she turned her gaze away from him. "Perhaps they wouldn't be such pretentious assholes."

"Wait, I-" he started but she was already gone. Jughead ran a hand over his face and groaned. He had to go after her.

After looking around the crowd for a while, he spotted Fangs Fogarty leaning against the wall, wearing his Serpent jacket. Jughead walked over to him and briefly put a hand on his shoulder to catch his attention.

"Cover for me for a minute, would ya, Fangs?" he received a nod as a response, so he set off to find Veronica.

 

 

 

Jughead sprinted up the stairs of the speakasy, accidentally bumping into a female Serpent who was working as the bouncer that night and mumbling a rushed 'sorry' before going through the door to the diner area.

After multiple nights of observing La Bonne Nuit, he had noticed that a lot of people ordered some burgers at Pop's after a night of partying downstairs, so the place was packed. Of course, Veronica's glamorous dress didn't go unnoticed and Jughead spotted the raven-haired beauty at a corner booth, far away from him.

He edged closer to her cautiously, he didn't want to get an expensive heel thrown at him or whatever other attack Veronica could invent. But to his surprise, she didn't seem mad. Actually, she looked... _sad?_ Her heels were kicked off on the tile floor and she had her knees pulled against her chest as she sat in the booth with her gaze turned down.

"Veronica?" Jughead said in a voice he didn't recognize as his own. He actually sounded worried about her and, well, he _was._

She looked up, clear tears glowing on her cheeks in the neon lightning which came from outside the window. Quickly, Veronica started wiping the smudged mascara from under her eyes. "You- you followed me?"

"I-" he tried to find his voice but no words were coming out. Jughead had never seen Veronica Lodge, _the_ Veronica Lodge, this vulnerable in front of him... he didn't even know she could be this vulnerable, _ever._ Veronica was one of the strongest people he knew.

"Did you come to let me know that the reason I lost both Archie and Reggie is because of how _hideous_ I look like when I cry? Or because I'm just a player?" she chuckled pitifully, her voice cracking just a little as she rolled her eyes.

"I- I wanted to let you know that I think you're beautiful," Jughead wanted to mentally slap himself again. He didn't mean to say that, sure, he thought about it but he wouldn't have said it out loud. Veronica's presence somehow made him say the worst things during the worst time. "Wait, I mean-"

Veronica was confused. She wasn't sure if he was kidding, he looked sincere. She started biting down on her lip without realising, not knowing what to say.

Slowly, Jughead slipped in the booth, next to her, keeping a few inch distance. He looked bothered, probably because of the words that just escaped his mouth.

"I mean," he cleared his throat. "Are you crying because of what I said? I didn't mean it, I was acting like a kid."

"You don't say," Veronica let out another annoyed chuckle along with a sharp breath. "Yes, Jughead, I'm aware that I'm all alone. You don't have to remind me and rub salt into my wounds."

"I was an asshole, I'm sorry," Jughead sighed, placing one of his elbows on the table in front of them. He wasn't great at admitting that he was in the wrong. "I don't even know why I said it."

"Just like no one knows why you're the leader of the Serpents?" she didn't sound like she was being either rude nor playful. She was just completely emotionless as she leaned with her elbows on the dining table.

"Okay,,, I deserved that," Jughead nodded calmly, quickly licking his lips. He thought he saw a little smile dancing on Veronica's lips. "But... Veronica, you're not alone. Betty's here for you, like Cheryl, Toni and everyone else. _Hell,_ even I'm here. If I completely despised you, I probably wouldn't have suggested to give you the Serpents' protection."

"I don't completely despise you either, Jughead," Veronica turned her face towards him, tilting it and giving him a small crooked smile. "Glad we're on the same page."

He chuckled softly and ran a hand through his hair, not exactly sure of how to act around her.

"If it helps at all... I don't think that either Archie nor Reggie deserves you. I guess I shouldn't say that about my bestfriend, but when we ran away from Riverdale, well... Let's just say that it didn't take _too long_ for him to move on from your relationship..." Jughead wasn't sure if he was just making things worse, but he definitely felt like he had already crossed the line between friendly comforting and a little _too_ friendly comforting but she didn't really seem to mind.

"I'm not sure that helps at all either," she sighed, pressing her head against the table. Jughead looked over her figure, her raven hair falling down her open back and her silky dress hugging her body. He hesitantly placed a hand on her back, brushing some hair off to her shoulders to get contact with her tanned snin before patting her back softly.

"Well I think that during this night we've come to a conclusion that I should never, _ever_ try to comfort anyone," he let out a small chuckle.

Veronica sat up straight, Jughead's hand falling to her lower back before he quickly pulled it away. She looked at him and smiled.

"At least we got some action into the night. It would've been boring with just me singing and you pouring drinks."

"You singing wasn't boring at all. You're amazing at it," he mumbled hesitantly, glancing over at her and looking at her lips a second too long.

She must've noticed, because quickly she stood up and brushed the hem of her dress straight. "Okay, that's- way too many compliments from _Jughead Jones_ in one night. We probably should head back."

"Y-yeah, of course," it must've been the twentieth time that night he wanted to hurt himself for acting so stupid. He had a girlfriend for god's sake. "Fangs has probably already broken multiple good bottles of whatever non-alcoholic drinks you have down there."

Veronica nodded, not smiling. She tried to hint Jughead to move so she could walk off, but he didn't seem to understand, so she sighed and turned sideways, brushing against him and feeling the heat heaving off his body as she pushed away from the booth.

Jughead closed his eyes, furrowing his brows and quickly thinking over the events that happened that night.

_"Veronica,"_ he knew that it was stupid, but he had to say it. The raven-haired girl stopped her walking before turning around to hear him out. "I meant what I said before. I think you're beautiful."

Veronica swallowed hard, but Jughead couldn't see it. She gave him a little smile, her eyes briefly glowing under the dark light.

"Later, Forsythe."

She continued walking back towards the stairs to the speakasy, biting down on her lip so hard she was sure it'd bleed soon.

Apparently she had learned _nothing_ from her experience with ex-boyfriends and their friends.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm surprisingly proud of this??


End file.
